World domination for Spain

Comments (108)

Andy Pavey (arsenal fan) says...

Well done to Spain thoroughly deserved win and Holland for not giving in and making a good game of it , Although i am and english man living in new zealand for the last 3 years i thought the Kiwis deserved a lot of credit being the only team not to lose in the world cup

Posted 08:06 12th July 2010

David Mclurcan (Peterborough United fan) says...

You know what? Looking back, That wasn´t a football match, but a scrap from beginning to end. For long periods of the game, Football went out the window and they were just kicking lumps out of each other. Credit has to go to Howard Webb and his team for keeping a lid on the situation, Because it could have been a complete farce. The players should sit down and take a long hard look at themselves. But they won´t because winning is everything and entertainment comes a very poor second.

Posted 07:49 12th July 2010

Mike Murphy (Dundee fan) says...

Congratulation Spain, they played the style of football, throughout the competition, that should be encouraged and rewarded. Ok so they didn't score many goals but for sheer entertainment they were a joy to watch. It was so very sad to see the country that gave us "total football", adopting the tactics of a Sunday morning pub league side. It would have been an insult to the previous greats of Dutch football had they got any kind of victory. I believe that Howard Webb performed as well as the players on the park allowed him to, it was not his tactics or unsporting behaviour that brought the game into disrepute, or has total responibility for the way the game is played now passed to the referees?

Posted 07:44 12th July 2010

D C (Rangers fan) says...

'Well done Spain, great midfield just rubbish up front '
I will give you Torres was hopeless in the tournament, but Pedro played well over the last two games. As for Villa, he's probably the best striker in the world, definitely better than Rooney who you English drool over. And I have been watching both for years.

Posted 07:39 12th July 2010

Peter Mclaren-kennedy says...

As an impartial viewer of the game I am appalled at the quality of the refereeing - how was Webb still there with other referees having been sent home for lesser offences than he committed earlier in the tournament. Perhaps more importantly is what happened to yellow cards for diving? Iniesta needs an Oscar for his performances throughout the tournament.
Not a great game marred by an even less impressive performance from the ref - seriously if this is the best team in the world and the best performance then the game is in serious trouble and is bordering on the farce that is WWF or whatever they call it these days
Come on Sky tell it like it is - the ref was appalling (including giving a goal kick instead of a clear corner which then resulted in the winning goal) and Spain didn't deserve to be in the final let alone win it

Posted 07:38 12th July 2010

Lee Wright says...

Was I watching the same game as some others on here. Webb was diabolical as he so often is, he is totally incapable of refereeing any game let alone a World Cup Final. De Jong's challenge was nasty and a yellow was spot on, but apart from that, I feel he got most decisions wrong. He ruined the game by blowing his whistle more then the fans blow the vuvuzelas. How Puyol stayed on the pitch is beyond me completely, and Iniesta dived as much as anyone ive ever seen, and yet, it was somehow always missed by Mr Webb. The Dutch didnt play great, but they were severly let down by the English in this final

Posted 06:50 12th July 2010

Sebastien Naville (Barcelona fan) says...

All i have to say is:
1) Spain finally have learnt to play dirty and win dirty like all the other teams in the world with exception Brazil.
2) Howard Webb made alot of mistakes, but hey its a WC final, get with it mistakes happen. If the Dutch want to cry about their corner not given and Puyol's big fail of bringing down Robben then ill talk about the 3 red cards Holland should have got like De Jong's karate kid move on Alonso which was a direct red. Football is football.
3) Holland were too concentrated on who we should foul next and who was up next in foul rotation to break Spain's rythem something Sneijder learnt well with Mourinho at Inter.
4) Diving shhmiving either way its the result that counts. The game was boring yes but thats because Dutch like i stated earlier wanted to break play and hide in their box.
5) Spain only scored 8 goals in 7 games who would score more if 7 teams played all men behind the ball. Teams were lucky they got away with only 1-0 losses. Spain dominated possesion shots corners every detail you can think of in every game. They looked for the win not like their opponents waiting for their mistakes.
6) Spain's defensive back line one of the best ive seen if ever the best defending so high up the pitch near 50 meters away from Casillas. Who ever doubts them today can write that off asap. Germany (highest scoring) Holland Portugal Paraguay Honduras didnt even score against them.
7) Spain are well deserved World Champions end of. People need to surrender to the fact they won the WC. And if i had a say i would say Xavi Hernandez deserves the FIFA Balon D'or more than anyother player. Always focused and best passer of the game i have ever seen in the last 21 yrs ive watched football. Congrates to Spain

Posted 06:14 12th July 2010

Harrison Lee (Arsenal fan) says...

Really guys, really? Why is it when Blackburn and alike kick lumps out of Arsenal, you(pundits and fans) all praise them and say, "what do you expect them to do, let Arsenal play their own game and lose 4-0?" From what I could see Holland just did the same thing. Man for Man Spain are a better team, and had Holland let them have possesion, they probably would have rolled them over. Well done to Holland for sticking to their game plan and nearly getting over the line. At least they gave the Spanish a reason to roll around on the floor.lol

Posted 04:31 12th July 2010

Micha De groot (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Poor England, I would like to refer to a famous dutch player (Johan Cruijff) he once said : you can only win if you score more goals then the other team! So Spain is the the 1 and only winner of the WC. But if you people of England think that Spain the best football played of this WC you dont know anything about football. But we already know here in Europe that the Premier league is the best but only with our European players! But don't worry guys and girls, 1 day it will maybe happen to you!

Posted 04:24 12th July 2010

Rod Johnson (Sheffield United fan) says...

It was an absolute disgrace by Webb. a shame for English referees. He was pro spanish in many of his calls. Why give Heitinga Red and Puyol didnt get a card for his foul on Robben. Same as Inesta should have gotten a red card as well. Spain perhaps might have the best players but it seems Webb was Spains 12the man. Disgrace!

Posted 03:14 12th July 2010

Graham Deakin says...

Having to get up at 4 in the morning to watch the final and then go stright to work is not my ideal start to a Monday!
To make matters worse it was a dire spectacle. I find it difficult to be too critical of Howard Webbs performance as the two teams did their best to make him work for his fee! Holland were blatant in their spoiling tactics and showed their intent through numerous fouls/assaults.
As a Man City fan I cannot defend Nigel De Jongs high footed challenge and he really should have been sent off for an early shower - in the EPL he would have gone. But to state the ref blew his whistle for nothing is ridiculous as I am sure he wanted to be as annonymous as possible.
The managers, captains and players are responsible for what we got - very little.

Posted 03:06 12th July 2010

Anne Wilson (Sunderland fan) says...

England supporter but my husband & I picked second teams - he Holland, me Spain - Ok so it wasn't a spectacular game but there was the ultimate prize at stake in Football- not just another game between 2 rival European teams - Xavi & Iniesta were great for Spain all tournament and Shneider for Holland amongst others -

Posted 02:31 12th July 2010

Aaron Quinn says...

Anyone who thinks this is a victory for football is completley deluded. Spain scored 8 goals in 7 games how is that attacking and attractive football? Football is about defence as well as attack and van bommel and de jong are combative midfielders who are there to break up the play. No doubt if Gareth Barry played like Van Bommel did in this tournament then everyone would be singing his praises. Fair play to Spain as it is some achievment winning th euros and WC but I despise the biased comments made by most people on this site as it is not a 'victory for football' and the best team did not win. Probably would have been fair to go to a shootout but it did not turn out that way. Anyone who watched the match would have seen busquets is as cynical as De Jong or MVB but nobody seems to want to see that. Every good team needs a destroyer, eg MVB, Busquets, Mikel, Fletcher, it is the way football is going these days and any1 who cannot see that needs their eyes examined. Congratulations to the Spanish but the romanticising of the team needs to stop and soon.

Posted 02:12 12th July 2010

No Martnez (St Albans fan) says...

LOL do not cry all these english that say that Spain is boring. We are the best of the world, the best in Europe and we have shown it. If you think it is boring to defend having the ball and try to beat 11 apponents inside their own area try to robe us the ball!! haha, learn something about footbal... then we will talk. Bye losers

Posted 02:10 12th July 2010

Dale Greenan (Hearts fan) says...

I dont know how anyone can say spain play boring football, did nobody remember argentinas goal last world cup when they had something like 40 passes before the goal and nobody said they were boring, yes some of the spanish players dived but to be fair if someone was flying into tackles its their fault and not the player who diveds fault, i hate all these people that think they know how the game is played, half of the people commenting are prob to lazy to even kick a ball and should just keep their mouths quiet, the amount of chances spain had they shouldve won in 90mins. and holland were lucky to have van bommel and de jong on the park, and saying spain play negavtive football yet they play a 4-3-3 where as england are so negative they play a 4-4-2 with emile heskey, if u arent going to say anything sensible then shut up........ rant over lol

Posted 01:46 12th July 2010

Mike Petre (Wolverhampton Wanderers fan) says...

What a disappointing final. Yes it was the final and yes it was tense, BUT... the players are to blame for the way it was played. As others have said, don't blame Howard Webb. When you see the replays the Ref could have sent off 3 or 4 players. The fact that he had to make instantaneous decisions showed in the end that he made almost 100% the right ones.
Two good teams that did not want to lose. It happens all the time and will happen again. Too bad all the games cannot be played in the spirit of the 3/4 game.
Mike

Posted 01:41 12th July 2010

Juan Ortiz (Liverpool fan) says...

Spain are the best team in world football and anyone who says otherwise are complete and utter morons!! They played the best football along with Germany and Holland should have had their hatchet men sent off in the first half in van bommel and de jong. The people that say Spain don't deserve it don't have a clue about football. Well done Spain viva la furia roja!!! PS Howard Webb is a shocking referee

Posted 01:37 12th July 2010

Suresh Vythylingam (Arsenal fan) says...

Very dirty tactics by the Dutch who should have had 3 more sent off. If the Dutch bothered to play football, it would have been interesting but they decided to kick their opponents from the first whistle. De Jong should be banned for life. And Webb should retire because he was so unfair to Spain

Posted 01:11 12th July 2010

Alan Neller (Aston Villa fan) says...

Steven Smith - you not watching the Euro's then?

Posted 01:06 12th July 2010

Araz Ali (Manchester United fan) says...

ugly win for spain refree robbed holand what ashame for webb roben is the best player on the world two spain player should be sent off